VISAKHAPATNAM: The death of four tourists from Hyderabad and injuries to 23 others on Friday evening has once again compelled road transport authorities to focus on the condition of roads and vehicles and the experience of drivers using them.
RTA officials said the driver of the ill-fated bus did not take adequate rest, and had long spells of driving from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, Simhachalam and various places in the Visakhapatnam agency, before starting off to Hyderabad.
Like the 2018 mishap at Chinutur in East Godavari district, which killed eight pilgrims from Karnataka, officials squarely blamed the driver for the ghastly incident.
But road engineering experts pointed out that authorities always blame drivers either for drunken driving or working without rest but never point an accusing finger at agencies responsible for maintaining the quality of roads.
A senior police officer said that the roads connecting Paderu, Chintapalle and Anantagiri in Vizag district…